James McGee was born in the Parish of Down, Co. Down about 1810. On his death certificate (1885), his parents are recorded as Margaret Hendry and Henry Magee.
Sarah Dunigan was born in Girvan, Ayrshire about 1810. On her death certificate (1888), her parents are recorded as Ann Campbell and John Dunnigan.
More in hope than in expectation, I checked the Old Parish Register (OPR) for Girvan. This records baptisms and marriages in the Established Church of Scotland but, for various reasons, there are occasional entries for the events of other denominations. I did not find Sarah but I did find —
was Born the 28th May and Baptised the 8th of June 1809
(* most entries have "Lawful" [legitimate] or "Natural" [illegitimate] at this point, I don't know why neither is specified here.)
So, it looks as if the Dunigans were in Girvan in 1809 and Sarah had an older brother John.
I was a bit surprised at Girvan until I discovered that the population of that town grew from 2,260 in 1801 to 7,424 in 1841, largely in consequence of the immigration of Irish weavers, of whom about half (it was estimated) were Catholics. Many weavers from Girvan and Maybole came to the east end of Glasgow in the second quarter of the 19th century.
1830 From the Register of Marriages in St. Andrew's Cathedral, Glasgow —
"James McGie born in the parish of Down County Down Ireland and Sarah Dunegan born in the parish of Girvan Ayrshire Scotland but both now residing in the vicinity of Glasgow having produced a certificate from the Session Clerk stating that no objection had been offered to their intended marriage after regular proclamation of Banns, having also been proclaimed in this Chapel were married by me according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church on the 27th October 1830 in the presence of Bernard Dunegan and Elizabeth Dunegan.
Charles Grant"
"...having produced a certificate from the Session Clerk..." — What's it got to do with him? I thought, but the same form of words appeared in all the entries at that period so I looked in the OPR for Barony Parish and found under the heading "Proclaimed and Married in October 1830" —
From this, I infer that at that time it was necessary for a couple to have their banns called in the Established Church even though they were marrying in the Catholic Church (and presumably in any other denomination).
Bernard and Elizabeth Dunigan appear in Shettleston as the son and daughter of John Dunigan, widower, in the census of 1851. John does not appear in the 1861 census and I have been unable to find his death in the civil registers from 1855 on. Also, when Bernard registered the death of Elizabeth in 1863, he gave her parents as John Dunigan and Catherine Cairney, and his own relationship as uncle. Unfortunately, his death in 1867 (or at least what I believe to be his death) was registered by the Superintendent of Barnhill Poorhouse and his parents are "unknown".
James and Sarah had the following children (that I know of), all born in Shettleston —
| Ann | born in 1833, married Patrick Lynch in 1855 and died in 1890. |
| Henry | born in 1835, married Margaret Burns in 1860 and died in 1903. |
| Thomas (1) | born in 1837, and died before 1841. |
| Margaret | born in 1840, married Daniel Colvin in 1860 and died in 1905. |
| John | born in 1843, apparently married after 1861 and left a widower by 1881, he then vanishes from my ken. |
| Thomas (2) | born in 1846, married Margaret Hyslop in Manchester in 1875 and died in 1916. |
1833 From the Register of Baptisms in St Andrew's Glasgow —
"Ann lawful daughter of James McGee and Sarah Donegan born on the 9th Oct. 1833 was baptised by me on the 27th Oct. 1833. Sponsors Thomas & Elizabeth Donegan."[This is one of a dozen unsigned entries - all on the same day!]
Ann married Patrick Lynch in 1855.
1835 Another entry in the Register of Baptisms of St Andrew's Cathedral, Glasgow (by this date in tabular form) —
Henry | lawful | James McGie & Sarah Dunnegan | 3 Oct 1835 | 18 Oct 1835
John McGie & Rose McLusckie | Charles Grant
I have a slight doubt about the day of birth, it's just a squiggle, might be a 7, but I think 3 is the more reasonable interpretation and will go with that.
Henry married Margaret Burns in 1860.
1837 And another entry —
Thomas | lawful | James McGhee & Sarah Dunnigan | 11 Dec 1837 | 31 Dec 1837
John McCaine & Sarah Richardson | William Gordon
Since this Thomas does not appear in the census for 1841 and another Thomas is born in 1846, I think we can conclude that this Thomas died before April 1841.
1840 And one more —
Margaret | lawful | James McGhee & Sarah Dunnigan | 5 Feb 1840 | 23 Feb 1840
Bernard Dunnigan & Mary (or Marg.) Dunnigan | Thomas Wallace
Margaret married Daniel Colvin in 1860.
1841 June 6 James and Sarah McGee were living in that part of the Parish of Shettleston bounded on the West by the Parliamentary Boundary of the City of Glasgow, on the North by Lightburn, on the South by the Edinburgh Road via Airdrie (now Shettleston Road I think) and on the East by the Old Cotton Work (and I'm not sure where this was). [Note that in the 1841 Census only, the age of adults was rounded down to a multiple of five.]
The household is listed as —
| Age | Occupation | Birthplace | |
| Jas McGee | 30 | Cot. H.L.W. | Ireland |
| Sarah do. | 30 | Scotland outwith Lanark | |
| Ann do. | 5 | County of Lanark | |
| Henry do. | 3 | County of Lanark | |
| Margt. do. | 1 | County of Lanark |
Not far away (5 pages in the enumerator's book) there dwelt —
| Age | Occupation | Birthplace | |
| John Dunigan | 50 | H.L.W. Cot. | Ireland |
| Elizabeth | 25 | County of Lanark | |
| Catherine | 20 | County of Lanark | |
| Agnes | 15 | County of Lanark | |
| Bernard Dunigan | 30 | H.L.W. Cot. | Ireland |
| Jas Trainer | 25 | do. | Ireland |
It is my opinion that these are Sarah's kin (excluding Mr Trainer who is probably a lodger) but I have so far failed to find conclusive proof.
1843 John, lawful child of James McGee and Sarah Donegan was born on Saturday, July 8 and baptised by Fr Hugh Quigly in St Mary's, Abercromby Street on the following day with sponsors John Donegan and Eliza Donegan.
St Mary's had opened in 1842, a new parish serving Catholics in the east end of Glasgow and in the adjoining parts of Lanarkshire who were nearer to Glasgow than to Coatbridge.
1846 Thomas, lawful child of James McGee and Sarah Donegan was born on Saturday, January 3 and baptised by Fr John Carolan in St Mary's, Abercromby Street on the following day with sponsors Bernard Donegan and Catherine Donegan.
Thomas married Margaret Hyslop in Manchester in 1875 and died in Ardwick, Manchester in 1916.
1851 March 30 In a house in Back Row, Shettleston, there dwelt —
| Rel. | Mar. | Age | Occupation | Birthplace | |
| James McGee | Head | Mar. | 40 | Hand Loom Weaver Cotton | Ireland |
| Sarah do. | Wife | Mar. | 40 | do. | |
| Ann do. | Daur. | U. | 17 | Lanarkshire, Shettleston | |
| Henry do. | Son | U. | 15 | Hand Loom Weaver Cotton | do., do. |
| Margaret do. | Daur. | U. | 10 | do., do. | |
| John do. | Son | U. | 7 | do., do. | |
| Thos. do. | Son | U. | 4 | do., do. |
Back Row was within that part of Shettleston between the present Shettleston Road and Old Shettleston Road, just west of Darleith [formerly Firpark] Street and within the area wherein I found them in the 1841 Census.
My Reynolds great-great-grandparents were less than a mile away in Eastmuir, now the east end of Shettleston.
On the occasion of Ann's marriage in 1855, she gave her address as Lightburn so I think it likely that the family had moved there by that date.
1855 On Thursday, November 15, Ann married Patrick Lynch at Dalbeth near Glasgow, probably at the Convent of the Good Shepherd. [See Section LH-6-1 for further information.]
1860 On Thursday, October 11, Henry married Margaret Burns or Binns in St Paul's Shettleston [which opened in 1857]. [See Section MG-6-2 for further information.]
1860 On Thursday, November 29, Margaret married Daniel Colvin in St. Paul's, Shettleston. [See Section CL-6-1 for further information.]
Their eldest daughter Sarah (born 1862) married William Rogan in 1888 and they were the Rogans of Causewayside Street who brought up Rosa McGee from 1918.
1861 April 7 The family had moved less than a mile to Lightburn Village to a house in which one room had one or more windows.
| Rel. | Mar. | Age | Occupation | Birthplace | |
| James McGee | Head | Mar. | 49 | Labourer Agricultural | Ireland |
| Sarah do. | Wife | Mar. | 51 | Weaver Cotton | Ayrshire, Girvan |
| John do. | Son | Unm. | 17 | Turner Wood | Lanarkshire, Shettleston |
| Catherine Mooney | Boarder | Unm. | 30 | Weaver Cotton | Ireland |
| Thomas McGhee [sic] | Son | Unm. | 15 | Engraver | Lanarkshire, Shettleston |
Catherine Mooney was a witness at the marriage of Margaret and Daniel Colvin. She also features as godmother to four (so far) McGee children, Ann's Mary in 1858, Margaret's Sarah in 1862, Henry's Margaret in 1863 and Ann's Margaret in 1866. There was a marriage in St Paul's on November 25, 1862 between Catherine Mooney of Tollcross. aged 22 and Francis Milligan. I think I'll look at her age in the census again.
Despite several attempts, I haven't found Ann and Patrick Lynch in this census but Margaret and Daniel Colvin were living in Dunlop's Land in the village of Hogganfield, half a mile to the north. Daniel was an Agricultural Labourer and Margaret a Cotton Bleacher. Henry and Margaret were living in Sandyhills with Margaret's mother and two brothers.
The Reynolds family were still in Eastmuir.
1866 On December 9, Thomas McGee and Cecilia Colvin were sponsors at the baptism of Mary Colvin [daughter of Margaret and Daniel] in St Paul's, Eastmuir.
1870 On June 20, Thomas McGee and Ann Murray were witnesses at the marriage of Thomas Morgan and Mary Murray in St Paul's, Eastmuir.
1871 April 2 The McGees were still in Lightburn Village, living on Lightburn Road in a house in which two rooms had one or more windows.
| Rel. | Mar. | Age | Occupation | Birthplace | |
| James McGhee | Head | Mar. | 61 | Labourer on Roads | Ireland |
| Sarah do. | Wife | do. | 61 | Ayrshire, Girvan | |
| Thomas McGhee | Son | Unm. | 25 | Hand Engraver to Calico Printer | Lanarkshire, Shettleston |
| Patrick Lynch | Grandson | do. | 10 | Scholar | do. do. |
John has moved on. He reappears as a widower in 1881 but I have yet to trace his marriage. It is not in the Register of Marriages for St. Paul's, Eastmuir.
Six doors down the street were the Colvins with the rest of the Lynchs next door. Henry and Margaret (Burns) were living at Allanton Colliery near Hamilton.
The Reynolds family were still in Eastmuir but moved shortly after this census to Omoa Square, Cleland in the Parish of Shotts.
1875 On Saturday, October 30, Thomas married Margaret Hyslop in the Catholic Parish Church in the Parish of Manchester. [See Section MG-6-1 for further information.]
1881 April 3 James and Sarah were still living on Lightburn Road.
| Rel. | Mar. | Age | Occupation | Birthplace | |
| James McGee | Head | Mar. | 71 | Labourer | Ireland, Co. Down |
| Sarah do. | Wife | Mar. | 72 | Girvan, Ayrshire | |
| James Colvin | Grandson | Unmar. | 6 | Scholar | Lanarkshire, Lightburn |
| John McGee | Son | Widower | 37 | Ivory Turner | Lanarkshire, Shettleston |
The rest of the Colvins were six doors down the street and the Lynchs had moved to Cambuslang, living at 6 Colliery Row, Newton. Thomas and Margaret with son James were living at 179 Parliamentary Road, Townhead, Glasgow. Henry and Margaret were in Shettleston.
There is an entry in the Glasgow Post Office Directory - Suburban - Shettleston for 1880-81
McGee, John, ivory bowling green bowl and general turner, ho. Lightburn.
which is repeated in the following two volumes, 1881-82 and 1883-84. No entry in 1885-86.
1885 On Friday, July 17, James Magee, a Labourer married to Sarah Dunigan, died, aged 75 at 1h45m p.m. at Lightburn, Shettleston of Enlarged Prostrate Uraemia [probably kidney failure] after 10 days, as certified by Alexander Scott, M.B.C.M. His parents are recorded as Henry Magee and Margaret Magee, m.s. Hendry, both deceased by this date. His death was registered No.117 at Shettleston on July 20 by Henry Magee, Son, Present who gave his address as 13 Firpark [now Darleith] Street. Shettleston.
James appears in the records for Dalbeth Old Cemetery, for July 20, aged 75, the cause of death is recorded as Gravel, the Title No.809 and lair reference 197 E.S. A fee of 9 shillings and sixpence was paid. This is the same lair used for his grandchildren Sarah and Thomas Lynch in 1871 and 1874 respectively.
1888 At 1h20m a.m. on Monday, March 26, Sarah McGee, widow of James McGee, Labourer, died, aged 87 [having apparently aged 15 years since 1881!], at Lightburn of Apoplexy [probably a stroke] after 3 months, as certified by Alexander Scott, M.D. Her parents are recorded as John Dunnigan, Hand Loom Weaver and Ann Dunnigan, m.s. Campbell, both deceased. Her death was registered No.35 at Shettleston the following day by Henry McGee, Son, Present, who gave his address as 231 Westmuir Street, Parkhead. [He had moved to Carntyne Street, Shettleston by the time of the 1891 Census.]
Sarah was buried with James and their grandchildren in Dalbeth Old Cemetery, where the record for March 28 shows her age as 87, the cause of death as Debility, the Title No.809 and lair reference 197 E.S. A fee of 9 shillings and sixpence was paid.